This week's factory beef price reductions were felt in the mart trade in recent days with forward and factory-fit heifers back by €50-80/head in some cases.

Some marts noted reduced demand from factory and wholesale buyers in recent days.

Processors are saying there are "more than enough" factory-fit cattle around than what is required currently, and some expect this to remain the case for the next 4-6 weeks.

Mart trade at Carnew

There were over 850 cattle on offer at Carnew Mart on Saturday (February 28), with cows maintaining "a steady trade" compared to previous weeks.

However, heifers were described in a sale report from Carnew Mart as "easier by €50-80/head, particularly beef heifers, due to reduced interest from factory and wholesale buyers".

Some of the top cow prices from the sale were as follows:

742kg Limousin cow sold for €2,680 or €3.61/kg;
762kg Hereford cow sold for €2,610 or €3.43/kg;
628kg Belgian Blue cow sold for €2,500 or €3.98/kg;
632kg Limousin cow sold for €2,300 or €3.64/kg;
804kg Friesian cow sold for €2,170 or €2.70/kg.

The trade for bullocks on the day was described as "very steady", with strong demand from specialist feeders and farmers for the forward store bullocks available on the day.

In the bullock sale, €5.29/kg was paid for a 438kg Charolais bullock that totalled €2,320.

A lighter, 316kg Charolais bullock sold for €1,760 or €5.57/kg.

In the weanling bull sale, there was a smaller entry of cattle compared to the previous week with 120 weanling bulls on offer.

Prices paid for bulls in the sale include the following:

794kg Belgian Blue bull sold for €3,620 or €4.56/kg;
388kg Limousin bull sold for €3,310 or €3.77/kg;
300kg Charolais bull sold for €1,810 or €6.03/kg;
320kg Charolais bull sold for €1,900 or €5.94/kg

The weanling bulls on offer met "an outstanding trade", with buyer activity being driven by exporters and specialist farmer bull beef feeders.

Heifer prices from the sale at Carnew Mart include the following:

722kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,950 or €4.09/kg;
648kg Limousin heifer sold for €2,800 or €4.32/kg;
704kg Simmental heifer sold for €2,610 or €3.71/kg;
306kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,710 or €5.82/kg;
302kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,590 or €5.26/kg;

"Lighter bull weanlings easily exceeded €6.00/kg, while heavier bull weanlings sold for €5.20-5.60/kg" in the sale, according to Carnew Mart.